Title : OPERATION CROSSROADS. A COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTS OF TEST ABLE ATOMIC BOMB IONIZING RADIATION AND X-RAYS ON SEEDS OF BARLEY, WHEAT AND OATS.

Descriptive Note : Appendix no. 25 to Final rept.,

Corporate Author : JOINT TASK FORCE ONE WASHINGTON DC

Personal Author(s) : Smith, Luther

Report Date : 1947

Pagination or Media Count : 17

Abstract : This report discusses an investigation on the biological effects of atomic bomb ionizing radiation. A large variety of biological material including animals, seeds, grain insects, bacteria, fungi, etc., were distributed on twenty-two target ships prior to the detonation of the Test ABLE bomb July 1st 1946. Barley seeds were selected as one of the test objects because of their excellent fitness for determining the effects of irradiation on mutation frequency. Young and old seeds were included in order to study the effect of age on sensitivity to irradiation. Seeds of Durum (tetraploid), common wheat (hexaploid), and common oats (hexaploid) were included in the tests in order to have results from polyploid plants for comparison with information obtained from the non-polyploid barley. (Author)